The compensating drives start, in principle, at the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and drive mass-loaded shafts (compensating shafts), which give rise to a piston mass balance, for example. Generally, such drives are distinguished in that the strain on the traction means is very high. First and foremost, this is caused in that, due to their high inertia, the compensation shafts tend to rotate with uniform rotary motion. Due to the variability during the rotation of the crankshaft, this variability is transferred to the compensation shaft via the traction means, i.e. via the toothed belt or the chain, which leads to extreme strains on the traction means. The situation is yet aggravated in that the compensation shafts often rotate at twice the engine speed, which causes an additional strain (centrifugal force+abrasion-induced strain) on the traction means. This is why these drives are often not fatigue endurable and in many cases need to be repaired.